Page 19 - BusinessWest July 11, 2022

rules for cannabis are more strict than for pharmacies that sell opioids; they’re more strict than those for the deliv-
ery trucks that deliver alcohol. All that costs money.”
The partners who created Budzee, all veterans of this industry in one capacity or another, have chosen to take on all these challenges — they opened their doors this past spring. And that’s because, despite all these hurdles and expenses, they see real need for what they’re doing. They also see a path to profitability — not right away, but certainly some day, and per- haps soon as word of their venture grows and more people decide that it’s easier to have cannabis products deliv- ered to their door than it is to travel to an area dispensary.
“There are people who can’t drive
to a dispensary,” said Polatol. “Mean- while, even though cannabis is legal
in this state, there is still a stigma out there; some people don’t want to be seen in dispensaries. There’s still a great many people who want to be home, and they like the convenience of things being delivered to them.”
“There’s a strain put on these businesses when the state invents all these rules that make it difficult to run a smooth, profitable business. The rules for cannabis are more strict than for pharmacies that sell opioids; they’re more strict than those for the delivery trucks that deliver alcohol. All that costs money.”
And that brings the partners, who have invested more than $1.2 million to move Budzee off the drawing board, to the major challenge that remains for them — educating the public about this service and the convenience it brings.
“There’s considerable work to do
to educate the public about this,” said Polatol, adding these efforts are ongo- ing. “Once we get established, people will understand; there are so many non-cannabis models out there — from Domino’s Pizza to Amazon. Once they understand it, it clicks. To get it out there, though, will require market- ing, marketing, and more marketing.”
Parzybok agreed, and said that in time, consumers will come to under- stand, appreciate, and embrace the convenience just as they have in many other industries where home delivery
has become an important part of the business model.
“It’s a new industry, so you assume that most licensed categories are going to be profitable,” he said. “You can look at the numbers for retail estab- lishments or see the lines coming out the door when retail was opening, so you just assume that people will also embrace delivery. But when Amazon first came out, people were like ‘why should I buy something on the Internet when I can just go get it at the grocery store?’ But now they realize that they never have to bring it in from their car again.”
Getting the word out, and creating
Budzee’s location in Easthampton is ideally situated off I-91
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391 DAMON ROAD, NORTHAMPTON ENLITECANNABIS.COM
This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the innuence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of
a a
ccidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.
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